- Students in OECD countries are expected to receive a total of 7 751 hours of instruction on average during their primary and lower secondary education – the bulk of that time is compulsory.
- In general, the higher the level of education, the greater the number of instruction hours a year.
- Reading, mathematics and science take up around 50% of the compulsory curricular time in primary education but only 40% at the lower secondary level.
- The wide variation in instruction hours across OECD countries suggests there is little consensus on the most effective policies related to school time.
